The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines draw air into an intake manifold through an inlet that may be regulated by a throttle. Intake valves of cylinders are opened to draw air into the cylinders. Fuel may be injected into one or more intake ports of the cylinders (i.e. port fuel injection) or directly into the cylinders (i.e. direct fuel injection). The air and fuel combine to create an air/fuel (A/F) mixture that is compressed and ignited within the cylinders to drive pistons and generate drive torque. The ignition of the A/F mixture may be via spark plugs (i.e. spark ignition) or due to high pressure and/or temperature (i.e. compression ignition).
A ratio of the A/F mixture may be controlled to regulate torque output of the engine. For example, the A/F ratio may be controlled based on a driver torque request, such as a position of an accelerator. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the cylinders may be deactivated to regulate torque output of the engine. In other words, intake valves of cylinders to be deactivated may be closed and a supply of fuel to the cylinders to be deactivated may be disabled. For example, a number of activated cylinders may be based on the driver torque request.